Changes
by die-pink-die
Summary: Everything is in a state of change. This is what happened after I reread the last 7th tower book, and decided to scrap Daily Life of the Emperor. Epilogue now up!
1. Chapter One

**The Press Conference**

Tal walked to the podium with a mixture of apprehension, and excitement. _This was it. The time to make up for everything. _Milla and Malen stood beside him. He took a deep breath, eyeing the Icecarls, Freefolk, and Chosen in the crowd. _If only it could be like this all the time. It can and it WILL be. _

"Thank you so much, everyone. This is really intended just to...um…clear the air a bit about…certain things, mainly to address any concerns or questions anyone, especially the press, has. Are there any uh questions or concerns at this time?" He asked nervously.

For approximately half of a Chosen second, there was a perfect silence before everyone started shouting at once.

"Emperor, what are the laws regarding-" "The Underfolk-" "Is there any way to-"

"ENOUGH!" Tal shouted, raising the violet keystone. The crowd fell silent immediately. "Please. I think, perhaps, we should focus on the key issues. Any questions about Spiritshadows may be asked now. In a logical and orderly manner that is! Yes, you sir."

A short man clad in orange robes asked, "The ban is absolute?"

Tal nodded. "Yes. Spiritshadows are banned, whether they are free, or bound. I realize there are many Chosen who have not yet given up their Spiritshadows. This is acceptable, for now. Every Chosen has six months to get rid of his or her Spiritshadow, or they will face consequences."

A Blue raised her hand. Tal nodded at her. "Does it h-hurt…losing a Spiritshadow?"

Tal shook his head. "If unbound correctly, no. In an hour or so, my friends here," he gestured to Milla and Malen. "Will talk to you. They'll talk about unbinding and other stuff." Tal added awkwardly. Malen nodded. "We are going to establish a Crone Embassy here at the castle. The Crones can return Spiritshadows to Aenir, without any pain or damage. Are there any more questions?" The crowd was silent, apparently lost in thought

"Next we will discuss the Freefolk, formerly known as the Underfolk. They are no longer to serve the Chosen. Those who wish will be given Sunstones, and allowed to enter the Lectorium." There was a collective gasp. Tal continued, "I will take questions when I have finished telling you the plans. Obviously, the Underfolk need to be replaced. However, we will not create a class of slaves. I would like each person to be responsible for cleaning their own rooms, and areas of the Castle they use, and to cook and take care of their children independently. However, if you do not wish to do these things yourself, you may hire up to three **servants.** These people will be compensated for their work. I will take any questions now."

As Tal had suspected, almost every hand went up. "I will take questions from those in the Red Order first." He nodded to a woman nearby.__

_"_Who will these 'servants' be?" She asked suspiciously.

"They will be volunteers, in a sense, from the Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, and Blue Orders. Other questions from the Red? Yes, go ahead."

"How will they be compensated?" The man sounded puzzled.

Tal responded quickly, eager to make the details clear. "For every twenty-five hours of service these servants provide, per week, they will be advanced several levels within their Order. The results will be similar to winning an Achievement. Any other questions, Red Order?"

"How will we get our food?" a rather fat woman questioned.

"That will be another task for the servants. Anyone interested in becoming a servant should write their name, Order, tasks they can perform, any physical ailment, and any task they cannot, or would not do, on a piece of paper and give it to me. Are there any other questions from any order?"

"No? Are there any other issues or concerns anyone has?"

No one raised a hand. A few members of the crowd shook their heads. It was a lot of information to digest. "I hope if anyone has any concerns or questions, you will come and speak with me." Tal said. "In half of an hour, we will hear from Milla, the War-Chief of the Icecarls, and Malen, a Crone. They will tell you all about our new friends and allies. Please make sure to come and listen."

As the Chosen wandered off to go do whatever they did at this time of day, the Icecarls and Freefolk approached Tal, Milla, and Malen. The Icecarls clapped their fists at them, and they returned the salute.

"You spoke well." an older Icecarl remarked.

"Thank you."

The Freefolk mostly nodded and scurried away to their hideout.

"Milla? Do you want to get away from here for a little while? All of you are welcome to come."

"Where?"

"Ebbitt's?" Tal asked with a grin.

Milla smiled.__


	2. Chapter Two

**A/N: I disregarded the epilogue except for what I could use of course. This is what I felt like should have happened in between the end of the battle and when the Icecarls all left. I also made some stuff up in this chapter because I didn't find anything to help me in Nix's works. **

**Chapter Two**

"Your uncle will not mind us in his home?" Malen asked.

"Ebbitt Greatnose will honor the use of his home by his esteemed nephew and adopted clan members." Milla pronounced with a note of amusement in her eyes.

Tal smiled; Milla was right as usual though he would never admit that second part to her. He rushed to the cupboard as he thought of his great uncle, especially his fondness towards guests and unending hospitality.

"Sweetwater? Anything, Milla? Malen?"

The Icecarls shook their heads.

"We should go over what we plan to say to the crowd." Malen remarked.

"Indeed." Milla agreed, her face turning serious.

"The most important thing," she continued, "is the Unbinding of the Spiritshadows. The Chosen have to know it is a painless, simple procedure." _For them anyway. _"Do you agree?"

Malen seemed to think about it for a moment.

"We must also mention that there is to be no travel to Aenir. Ever."

Her over bright eyes searched Tal's for a moment. Tal looked straight back. He wondered not for the first time how Ramellan had felt when he and Asteyr had collaborated. Hopeful and determined? Confused? Bitter at his people? Tal didn't know. He just hoped history wouldn't repeat its' self.

Milla and Malen continued to discuss their speech as Tal's thoughts swirled though the past, both recent and thousands of years ago.

"Tal? TAL!"

Milla's voice shocked him back to Ebbitt's main chamber.

"What? Sorry, I was-"

"I was asking if you would introduce us. Remember, it's Milla Talon-Hand. We do not wish to scare your people with any talk of war," she said, cutting him off brusquely. "We need to leave here within the next few minutes."

Tal nodded. "I am ready whenever you are."

He glanced around the chamber; it seemed smaller without Ebbitt, and the lifetime of clutter he had collected and proudly displayed. He smiled briefly and followed Milla and Malen.

There were considerably fewer Chosen present for the Icecarls' speech, which irritated Tal. Their comments were probably better than his were, and would certainly influence

"Greetings again. As I stated previously, we will now hear from Milla Talon-Hand, and the Crone Malen."

He stood to the side while they looked over the podium. They seemed very calm, and self-possessed, so different from his earlier stuttering mess. He winced inwardly, hoping his message had come though.

"As you heard, there will be no Spiritshadows. I will go over the unbinding process so everyone understands it. It truly is painless, although it may feel odd at first." Malen asserted. She looked at Milla for support.

"I used to have a Storm Shepherd Spiritshadow." Milla began, and Tal cringed at he remembered their time in Aenir.

"When we were first separated, I felt a little confused. I didn't really understand what had happened. However, it has been less than a quarter of a circling, that is, a-" She paused, glancing at Tal.

"Month. It's been about a month." He whispered to her.

She looked at him gratefully and addressed the crowd again.

"It has been less than a Chosen month and I feel very well. There is nothing to be afraid of when sending a Spiritshadow back to Aenir."

Malen continued. "The Crone Embassy on the Violet level of the Castle near the Throne Room of Emperor Tal Graile-Rerem will assist all Chosen with unbinding, and releasing" She paused for a moment.

"The ban on travel to Aenir established by Ramellan and Asteyr will be permanently reinstated." She intoned with conviction.

"Such travel weakens the Veil, and is unnecessary. There is no other way to ensure the future of our world, and both of our races." She eyed the crowd.

The Chosen present did not seem hostile, just shocked and scared about the future. She didn't know that she could blame them. Milla saw the same thing and worried. She hoped Tal would be able to control the people he led. Remembering the structure of his speech, she took a deep breath.

"That is all we have to say. Are there any questions?"

People seemed to be more murmuring or grumbling to themselves than actually voicing their grievances. Milla cursed on the inside. Using her most commanding voice, the one that had made Selski herds move, and full-grown warriors notice and remember her, she called again.

"If anyone has any questions I encourage you to voice them now!"

The hum of voices stopped and a few people raised their hands. _Better, _she thought, smiling inwardly. She nodded to a tall woman with her hand up.

"How will people be stopped from going to Aenir? What will the punishment be if someone does go?"

Milla looked at Tal. They had not discussed this. He stepped forward.

"In terms of prevention, children will no longer be taught about Aenir in school, nor will they be told how to get there. We ask that parents do not teach their children these things either, and discourage older children from discussing it. We will be installing Aurals in Chosen homes." He continued, "They detect spiritual energies and will alert us if someone has left the Dark World. The person's body will be taken into a guarded prison cell."

He paused, took a long breath, and eyed the audience.

"For punishment, that person will be cast out of the Castle. Their Sunstone will be taken from them, and they will be forced to wander the Ice alone. We hope this will discourage others. This crime is very serious. We are talking about the future of our world."

Milla looked at him. Even after all their bonds and the time Tal had spent with her people, she was still surprised at how much Icecarl had gotten into him. He stepped back behind the two women.

Another woman spoke up. "Will we be able to travel outside the Castle?"

Milla looked at her, trying to figure out a way to answer honestly while still being polite. Aside from Ebbitt, she couldn't imagine too many Chosen that would want to leave the Castle, even for a short trip. Thankfully, Malen answered.

"It is not forbidden. However, it will remain up to the individual clans to grant permission to travel on their ships or sacred grounds. There are also many dangers on the Ice, including animals and the unpredictable weather that castle dwellers are unfamiliar with."

Milla was pleased to note that the woman, and many other listeners, seemed much less eager to go outside the castle. She was impressed at the way Malen could maintain a very polite, even concerned, tone. She knew she would have ended up condescending, probably even starting another war, knowing how touchy the Chosen were. She glanced around. The crowd seemed quiet, perhaps "processing" as Tal had called it earlier. She looked at Malen, and gestured for her to see everyone off.

"There is much to be done now. Please remember the new embassy of Crones will be available to help all Chosen with unbinding, or healing matters on the Violet level." She said. Her voice, like all Crones, was pleasant but had a sort of charged undercurrent that made a listener pay sharp attention.

"Thank you." she finished, clapping her fists over the top of the podium.


	3. Epilogue

**Epilogue **

As the crowd dispersed, Tal turned to Milla feeling his emotions jumble together.

_Just like it's always been. _

"Milla, before you go…"

Tal's voice trailed off. Even after everything, he still didn't know what to say, he just knew he didn't want her to walk off, didn't want to admit he might never see her again, that it was all finally over.

She looked at him, her face as inscrutable as ever.

"Malen? The Emperor of the Castle and I….we have much to discuss."

Malen walked a short distance away where a small group of Icecarls was gathered.

Milla and Tal looked at each other for a moment. Tal was lost for words. Milla spoke first.

"Tal….there is much that hasn't been said."

Tal looked at her. He knew this was his only chance; his time to say everything. He looked at the floor.

"I told you once that it wasn't the nature of an Icecarl to forgive…but too much has happened. The Icecarls…and I.." she struggled with that part, "owe you much."

"The Chosen are equally in debt to the Icecarls. Without you, I'd have never known about Sharrakor or the Codex…I wouldn't even have a Sunstone."

"I guess we both got what we always wanted," Tal said.

Milla wore an expression Tal had never seen before. He knew she had changed; both of them had. She was right: too much had happened. He would never be the same. He knew Milla felt it, too. In fact, nothing in their world would ever be the same again.

He felt a slight burning in his eyes and blinked rapidly ridding the tears from his eyes.

He held out his wrist, showing the scars of the oaths they had made together. Milla bared her wrist and they touched scars, cool skin against cool skin. When their eyes met, their history flashed before them and time seemed to stop.

"Farewell Tal, for a circling. We shall speak again."

The definitive tone in her voice made Tal smile. Of course they would speak. There was always the Crones.

"For a circling then, War Chief."

Milla held her hand high above her head, a violet whip spun overhead.

She headed out of the Castle with her Icecarls without looking back

Tal watched them go before turning and heading to the place his mind and heart had never left: a suite of rooms with the front door marked by an Orange Sthil-beast leaping over a seven-pointed star.

His home.

**Most of this was paraphrased or taken directly from **_**The Violet Keystone **_**epilogue, just changed around to better fit what I was saying. Either way, this is IT! THANKS FOR READING!**


End file.
